A5042826593- Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications
- Cell Adhesion Molecules Research
- Cardiovascular Health and Disease Prevention
- Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects
- Cardiomyopathy and Myosin Studies
- Optical Coatings and Gratings
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases
- Protein Kinase Regulation and GTPase Signaling
- Connective tissue disorders research
- Advanced optical system design
- Angiogenesis and VEGF in Cancer
- Aortic aneurysm repair treatments
- Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
- Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
- Semiconductor Lasers and Optical Devices
- Pain Management and Treatment
- Integrated Circuits and Semiconductor Failure Analysis
- Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
- Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Blood properties and coagulation
- Cerebrovascular and Carotid Artery Diseases
Texas A&M Health Science Center
2009-2024
Texas A&M University
2014-2024
Bryan College
2021-2023
In-Q-Tel
2012-2014
Mitchell Institute
2011
University of Surrey
2006
Texas A&M University System
2001-2005
Laser & Plasma Technologies (United States)
1998
Institutul de Fizică Atomică
1994
The mechanical properties of integrin-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions are important for the mechanotransduction vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), a process that is associated with focal adhesions, and can be particular significance in cardiovascular disease. In this study, we characterized unbinding force binding activity initial fibronectin (FN)-alpha5beta1 interaction on surface VSMC using atomic microscopy (AFM). It postulated these events to subsequent adhesion assembly....
Abstract The atomic force microscope (AFM) is an important tool for studying biological samples due to its ability image surfaces under liquids. AFM operates by physical interaction of a cantilever tip with the molecules on cell surface. Adhesion forces between and surface are detected as deflections. Thus, can be used live cells resolution probe single molecular events in living physiological conditions. Currently, this only technique available that directly provides structural, mechanical,...
ABSTRACT Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy represents a method of exciting and visualizing fluorophores present in the near‐membrane region live or fixed cells grown on coverslips. TIRF is based total phenomenon that occurs when light passes from high‐refractive medium (e.g., glass) into low‐refractive cell, water). The evanescent field produced by internally reflected excites fluorescent molecules at cell‐substrate interface accompanied minimal exposure remaining cell...
Journal Article RhoA-induced cytoskeletal tension controls adaptive cellular remodeling to mechanical signaling Get access Soon-Mi Lim, Lim Department of Systems Biology & Translational Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, College Texas A&M Health Science Center, 336 Reynolds Medical Bldg., Station, TX 77843-1114, USA. Fax: +1-979-862-4638; Tel: +1-979-845-7990 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Jerome P. Trzeciakowski, Trzeciakowski Harini...
Elucidating regional material properties of arterial tissue is fundamental to predicting transmural stresses and understanding how stiffness influences cellular responses vice versa. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used measure point-wise the axial compressive healthy aortas atherosclerotic plaques at micron level separation distances. Cross sections were obtained from a widely animal model atherosclerosis (ApoE–/– mice). Median values 18.7 1.5 kPa for unloaded wall (n = 25 specimens)...
Directional migration requires the coordination of cytoskeletal changes essential for cell polarization and adhesion turnover. Extracellular signals that alter tyrosine phosphorylation drive directional by inducing reorganization actin cytoskeleton. It is recognized Nck an important link between dynamics, however, role in remodeling during underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely undetermined. In this study, a combination genetics quantitative live microscopy was used to show...
Mutations in ACTA2, encoding the smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific isoform of α-actin (α-SMA), cause thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections occlusive vascular diseases, including early onset coronary artery disease stroke. We have shown that arterial lesions patients with heterozygous ACTA2 missense mutations show increased numbers medial or neointimal SMCs. The contribution SMC hyperplasia to these diseases pathways responsible for linking disruption α-SMA filaments are unknown. Here, we...
Aging induces a progressive decline in vasoconstrictor responses central and peripheral arteries. This study investigated the hypothesis that vascular smooth muscle (VSM) contractile function declines with age soleus feed arteries (SFA). Contractile of cannulated SFA isolated from young (4 months) old (24 Fischer 344 rats was assessed by measuring constrictor denuded (endothelium removed) to norepinephrine (NE), phenylephrine (PE), angiotensin II (Ang II). In addition, we role RhoA signaling...
We have employed FITC−albumin as the protein template molecule in an aqueous phase molecular imprinted polymer (HydroMIP) strategy. For first time, use of a fluorescently labeled is reported, with subsequent characterization smart material to show that HydroMIP possesses significant memory comparison nonimprinted control (HydroNIP). The imaging using confocal microscopy described, situ removal displayed terms observed changes fluorescence polymer, both before and after elution (using 10%...
A novel hybrid imaging system is constructed integrating atomic force microscopy (AFM) with a combination of optical techniques that offer high spatial resolution. The main application this instrument (the NanoFluor microscope) the study mechanotransduction an emphasis on extracellular matrix-integrin-cytoskeletal interactions and their role in cellular responses to changes external chemical mechanical factors. AFM allows quantitative assessment cytoskeletal changes, binding probability,...
Mechanical force is an important stimulus and determinant of many vascular smooth muscle cell functions including contraction, proliferation, migration, attachment. Transmission from outside the through focal adhesions controls dynamics these adhesion sites initiates intracellular signaling cascades that alter cellular behavior. To understand mechanism by which living cells sense mechanical forces, how they respond adapt to their environment, a critical first step develop new technology...
The crosstalk between cells and their microenvironment enables cellular adaptation to external mechanical cues through the remodeling of cytoskeletal structures cell-matrix adhesions ensure normal cell function. This study investigates relationship tension integrin α5β1 adhesion strength matrix (i.e. fibronectin) in context RhoA-Src crosstalk. Integration atomic force microscopy (AFM) with total internal reflection fluorescence spinning-disk confocal enabled acquisition complementary...
Current research has revealed the importance of a class cell surface proteins called integrins in various vital physiological functions such as blood clotting, regulation pressure, tissue flow, and vascular remodeling. The key to integrin functionality is its ability mediate force transmission by interacting with extracellular matrix cytoskeleton. In addition, they play role signal transduction via their connection focal adhesion (FA) points. To understand complex mechanism cell-cell...
Arterial aging results in a progressive reduction elasticity of the vessel wall and an impaired ability aged blood vessels to control local flow pressure. Recently, new concept has emerged that stiffness decreased contractility vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells are important contributors age-induced arterial dysfunction. This study investigated hypothesis alters integrin function matrix stiffness-dependent manner, which contributes VSM soleus feed arteries (SFA). The effect RGD-binding...
Mutations in ACTA2, encoding smooth muscle α-actin, are a frequent cause of heritable thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissections. These mutations associated with impaired vascular cell function, which leads to decreased ability the sense matrix-mediated mechanical stimuli. This study investigates how loss α-actin affects cytoskeletal tension development adhesion using cells explanted from aorta mice lacking α-actin. We tested hypothesis that reduced contractility due decreases cellular...
Understanding cellular remodeling in response to mechanical stimuli is a critical step elucidating activation of biochemical signaling pathways. Experimental evidence indicates that external stress-induced subcellular adaptation accomplished through dynamic cytoskeletal reorganization. To study the interactions between structures involved transducing signals, we combined experimental data and computational simulations evaluate real-time actin network. Actin cytoskeleton was imaged at same...
To understand the mechanism by which living cells sense mechanical forces, and how they respond adapt to their environment, a new technology able investigate behavior at sub-cellular level with high spatial temporal resolution was developed. Thus, an atomic force microscope (AFM) integrated total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy fast-spinning disk (FSD) confocal microscopy. The system is broadly applicable across wide range of molecular dynamic studies in any adherent live...
Thoracic aortic aneurysm is found in patients with ACTA2 pathogenic variants. missense variants are associated impaired smooth muscle cell (SMC) contraction. This study tested the hypothesis that Acta2R149C/+ variant alters actin isoform expression and decreases integrin recruitment, thus, reducing contractility. Stress relaxation measurements thoracic rings showed two functional regimes a reduction of stress aorta from mice at low tension, but not high tension values. Contractile responses...
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to investigate the interaction between alpha5beta1 integrin and fibronectin (FN) in presence of divalent cations. AFM probes were labeled with FN measure binding strength by quantifying required break single FN-integrin bonds on a physiological range loading rates (100-10,000 pN/s). The necessary rupture alpha5beta1-FN bond increased twofold over regime investigated. Changes Mg(2+) Ca(2+) concentration affected thermodynamical parameters modulated...